Should Huff Have Given K-Rod "the Joba Treatment"?

The only thing that could've been more entertaining about Aubrey Huff's walk-off single in Thursday night's 5-4 comeback victory was if he had given K-Rod "the Joba treatment."

Granted it wasn't a home run, but have we established rules for giving a pitcher the Joba treatment? Do you have to go deep to mock a guy who favors theatrics on the mound, or will any clutch hit suffice? Perhaps we should ask the Yankees' Brian Bruney what he thinks.



The O's don't play the Mets again this season, so retribution wouldn't be an issue. Perhaps Huff just doesn't want to offend a guy who may be his teammate by mid-July.

Lenn Sakata in the Seattle Times

The Seattle Times recently spoke with Lenn Sakata about fellow Japanese-American and current Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu.

Sakata, who currently manages a minor league club in Japan, offers some pointed insights in the article, which also reviewed the former Oriole's baseball credentials.

Make no mistake, though, Sakata is one who cares. He's immensely proud of the fact that he was the second Japanese-American to wear a major-league uniform after fellow Hawaiian Ryan Kurosaki pitched seven games for St. Louis in 1975.

Sakata, an All-American second baseman at Gonzaga, was drafted by Milwaukee in 1975. He began his major-league career with the Brewers in 1977, but is best remembered for his six seasons in Baltimore.

He was the last guy to play shortstop before iron man Cal Ripken moved there permanently from third base in 1982, just 28 games into his record streak of 2,632 consecutive games played. Sakata was also a member of the Orioles' 1983 World Series championship team. In fact, the turning point for the Orioles that season well might have been a game in which Sakata was the improbable savior and then the unlikely hero.



The Orioles had been in a tight race all summer long and stood a half-game out of first place as they played Toronto on Aug. 24. The game went into extra innings with skipper Joe Altobelli having managed himself out of catchers, so he shifted Sakata behind the plate from second base. It was the first and only inning Sakata played at catcher in his 11-year major-league career.

Three successive Toronto batters reached base in the 10th inning, each with the idea of running on the novice catcher. They were so brazen with their leads that pitcher Tippy Martinez, not known for a strong move to first, picked each one off. Then, in the bottom of the frame, the fill-in catcher made sure he wouldn't have to endure another inning out of position by belting a three-run home run, one of just three homers he hit that season.

"The funny thing is," Sakata recalls, "When you're thinking about having to catch one more inning, my legs were already shaking because I wasn't used to squatting and the pressure of the game itself and having to catch. I was just thinking, 'Let me get a hit so the game is over,' and then I just happened to hit a hanging slider and it went over the fence. It was unbelievable."

The victory halted a two-game slide and propelled the Orioles to an eight-game winning streak during which they recaptured first place and never fumbled it the rest of the way.

In the Shadows of the Matt Wieters Spotlight

Some other Orange-and-Black items from Wednesday night

Undoubtedly, Wednesday's big story was Matt Wieters earning a Camden Yards curtain call with his first major league home run. (See the MLB story with video of the hit.)

My dad called me just to make sure I knew it happened.

Meanwhile, my wife celebrated the fact that she correctly predicted how long it would take Wieters to homer in a previous Roar from 34 poll. (You know it's love when your wife actually reads your blog.)

Believe it or not, there were other O's-related news items from Wednesday, these involving Brian Matusz, Luis Aparacio, and Joe Altobelli.

And really, what day is complete without a Joe Altobelli reference?



Matusz pitches a "masterpiece" in his first Bowie start.

Left-hander Brian Matusz kicked off his Baysox career with a 6.0 inning, 10 strikeout gem as Bowie defeated Reading 4-1. Catcher Adam Donachie's blasted a two-run home run in the fifth inning to put the Baysox on top, as they improve to a season-high four games above .500 at 34-30.

Omar Vizquel matched former Oriole Luis Aparicio's record for hits by a Venezuelan player.

Omar Vizquel matched Luis Aparacio with his 2,677th hit Wednesday night -- the most by a player from Venezuela. Just how good was Aparicio?

Aparicio led the American League in stolen bases for nine consecutive seasons, 1956-64, with a career-high 57 in 1964 with the Baltimore Orioles.

He was also a nine-time Gold Glove winner, with the White Sox and Orioles.

He was the sparkplug on the 1959 pennant winning White Sox, and batted .308 in the World Series. He was also the sparkplug on the World Series champion Orioles in 1966.

Finally, Twitter-Loving Tony LaRussa's selection as a National League All-Star coach brings out the Joe Altobelli references.

La Russa has managed in five All-Star Games --1989, 1990 and 1991 with Oakland and 2005 and 2007 with the Cardinals. He's 3-2 overall, with each of the victories coming when he was with the A's of the American League.

La Russa also is no stranger to coaching.

"I've done it for (Joe) Altobelli, John McNamara, Dusty Baker," he said. "But it's a National League game, so watching the (lineup) card is going to be something that changes, (with) who's available and all that.

...

La Russa's first All-Star Game assignment was in 1984 as a coach for Altobelli, then-manager of the Baltimore Orioles. In 1987, he was on the staff of McNamara, then-manager of the Boston Red Sox.

Image source: Reuters via Yahoo! Sports (click photo for original)

Mets Fans Tweet About the Birds

There were numerous game updates.

A debate about whether an error-filled victory over a last-place team counts as a "good win."

And expressed affection for David Wright as a player, team leader, and, well, because he's just plain "Hot Hot Hot."

What could be worse than the latter Tweet? How about this corny ninth inning musing by TheRopolitans: "I hope Ty doesn't Ty it up."

What else were Mets fans tweeting about during and after Tuesday night's 6-4 win against the Orioles?

Here's a quick rundown.



On the Aubrey Huff error:

GregDiener Well there goes the Mets interest in Aubrey Huff, Mets get one back for the missed Castillo Pop-Up on Friday i guess.

darknova306 Hahaha! *cries* hahaha sigh... RT @TheRopolitans: He pulled a Castillo!

melissag57 RT @metsjetsgirl RT @joeviddy: Other teams can drop the ball too?!?!

noah_s Haha nice drop!

mr_met ...and that kids is why you run it out. Huff drops pop up down the 1B line leading to the #Mets scoring 2, 6-2 Top 7.

mikevooss So the Orioles pop-up error cost them 2 runs and ultimately the game. Sound familiar to anyone? #Mets

twayward Gr8 lead by AP: BALTIMORE--This time, the NY Mets were the ones to benefit from a popup. #Mets

PaulsRandomStuf Nice to see the #Mets take advantage of another team's mistakes... even if they don't want to make it easy!


On O's fans and Camden Yards:

spo_ wow... and we weren't happy with citi's music? could be worse... they're playing "thank god i'm a country boy" at camden right now... #Mets

dreilly11 Also, I love how you can hear a B'More fan heckling Castillo about the pop-up. Would love if Luis said "dude, you're an Orioles fan." #Mets

jrobelen @MetsWFAN good to hear the #Mets stirring it up at the Yards. Too bad the O's can't fill seats there any more.

docnolz Did you all hear the crowd at Camden chanting Lets Go Mets last night on TV? Sounded almost like Queens ! #Mets


A compliment:

swirlywand Dear Nats announcers- you could learn some class from Os broadcast team. #mets #orioles


And some concessions on the Mora strikeout:

ckanterman Even though the #Mets benefitted, the umpiring is pathetic this season #Orioles #MLB

chrisbirckhead Sorry #orioles fans.. that was a horrible horrible call. #mets

Myers Brings the Fundraising Heat

"A lot of students go on to professional ball, or go to a four-year university to continue with baseball. At one time there was seven baseball players in Clark County that went on to play professional baseball including myself, and even now there are five from Clark County who are in the major leagues."

-Randy Myers, Clark College alumnus

Former Oriole Randy Myers is helping revive the baseball program at his alma mater, Clark College, in his hometown of Vancouver, Wash.

A return as a varsity sport has been difficult. For some reason, baseball team funding has been denied by the Associated Students of Clark College, which administers student fees. College officials have pressed ahead, and seek funding from the public.

The Clark College Alumni Association and Penguin Athletic Club have been pushing for some time to return baseball to the campus. But the standout booster for Clark baseball is Randy Myers, a member of the Clark College Class of 1983 and star Penguin pitcher.

Myers pitched at the junior college in the early '80s and received the school's Outstanding Alumni Award in 1991. When he was a student, Myers served on the school's club committee, which helped fund the baseball program. Years later, he served as an assistant coach for the women's basketball program.



Myers' generous contributions to the school, including matching donations that ranged from the hundreds to the tens of thousands of dollars during the recent fundraising campaign, helped revive the program that has been defunct since 1992. The Clark College Penguins will "Play Ball"again starting with the 2009-2010 season.

Myers tallied 76 saves in two seasons with the Birds, including a 45-save effort during the team's 1997 A.L. East Wire-to-Wire run that stands as the Orioles' single-season club record. His 131 relief points in '97 also are an O's record.

Myers made the All Star team in 1997 and finished fourth in both the MVP and Cy Young voting. Ken Griffey, Tino Martinez, and Frank Thomas finished ahead of him for MVP while Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, and Brad Radke topped him in the Cy Young race.


Image source: Clark College Foundation (click photo for original)

Off Days Aren't Necessarily Rest Days

“It was pretty neat to come out [and interact]. The [fan’s support] means a lot to me personally ... We want to get a winning season of course. But, at the same time, you’ve got to rebuild and it starts with pitching because the offense is there ... Once the younger guys get a season or two under their belts in the big leagues, they’ll be comfortable and we’ll go out and have a crazy year.”

-Adam Jones, as quoted at a Westminster autograph session

Just because the O's weren't on the diamond Monday night doesn't mean they weren't keeping themselves busy.

Adam Jones headed out to Westminster for an autograph session at Great Moments (Koji and Brian Roberts will make appearances in August) while Luke Scott and Brad Bergesen joined Scott McGregor at the Hagerstown Area Church Softball League’s annual banquet.



Said Scott of his active off day:

"It is valuable free time, but I know what's important," Scott said. "I'm honored to be here. It's a blessing. God blesses us. He doesn't want us just sitting in our houses. I'm blessed to be playing in the major leagues. This is the least I can do.

"When I go to heaven, I'll have all the rest I'll need."

Remembering "Why Not?" Times Three

Triple play facts on the 20th anniversary of the day the O's turned one against the Yankees

Twenty years ago today, on June 15, 1989, the "Why Not?" Orioles defeated the Yankees 3-2 in 10 innings before 30,284 fans at Memorial Stadium.

Cal hit his fifth homer, Randy "Moose" Milligan went 3-for-4 with one of his 16 career stolen bases, and reliever Mark Thurmond picked up the win after 7.1 quality innings from Jeff Ballard. Even Rene Gonzalez got in on the action with the game-winning RBI single that plated Mickey Tettleton in the 10th. However, the big story of the day was the Orioles' triple-play defense.



Desperately in need of an out in the game's first inning, Ballard did three better.

With one run across, two runners on, and the game's first out yet recorded, the Yankees' Steve Balboni hit a line drive to shortstop that Cal fielded to initiate the triple play. Cal's throw to Billy Ripken at second got Steve Sax for out number two, and Billy's throw to Milligan at first got Don Mattingly for the inning's third and final out.

The Orioles had the American League's only triple play that season. Meanwhile, four triple plays were recorded in the National League in 1989.

Since 1954, the Orioles have recorded 29 triple plays. The team's most recent effort came on Sept. 1, 2000, against the Indians.

The most triple plays in a season for the Orioles was three - all in August - in 1992 (Aug. 7 against the Indians; Aug. 25 against the Angels; and Aug. 30 against the Mariners).

The modern Orioles have recorded two triple plays during five different seasons (1954; 1955; 1967; 1973; and 1979). The O's also had a streak of seven consecutive seasons with a triple play from 1963 through 1969.


Sources: Baseball Reference, SABR Records Committee

Speaking of Brad Bergesen and Two Names No O's Fan Wants to Hear

Bergesen is the youngest Oriole to toss a complete game since Daniel Cabrera did so in 2004, also at the age of 23, also against the Braves. Cabrera's line: 9 IP, 4 hits, 0 ER, six strikeouts, 2 walks.

Brad Bergesen is young (23), and he just tossed a complete game on the heels of an eight-inning gem. He's gone seven or more innings in each of his last four outings, giving up two runs or fewer each time. This is all very good news, but there's some less heartening news to consider as well.

Recent O's history suggests that youth and endurance don't necessarily translate to success. Avert your eyes, Orioles fans, because we're about to talk some D-Cab and some Sir Sidney.

Bergesen is the youngest Oriole to toss a complete game since Daniel Cabrera did so in 2004, also at the age of 23, also against the Braves. Cabrera's line: 9 IP, 4 hits, 0 ER, six strikeouts, and two walks. Cabrera tallied six complete games in five Orioles seasons.



Oh, it gets worse.

Sidney Ponson threw six complete games at age 22, an accomplishment he matched the following season at age 23. Ponson pitched 28 complete games as an Oriole.

Ponson and Cabrera are just two of the young guns who have showed signs of promise for the Birds this decade. Other familiar names on that list include Adam Loewen, who took to the mound in 2006 at age 22; Hayden Penn, who pitched in 2006 at age 21; and Garrett Olson, who in 2007, like Bergesen, started for the O's at age 23.

These days, Loewen is reinventing himself an OF/1B in the Jays' system, Penn is trying to find his groove as a reliever with the Marlins' Triple-A affiliate after giving up three bases-loaded walks for the big club, and Olson is fluctuating between a starter's role and a relief role in Seattle.

Recent history be damned, I am choosing to remain excited about Brad Bergesen.



Who's been "going the distance" for the Birds?

Four complete games in 2008: Daniel Cabrera (2), Guthrie 1, Waters 1.

Four complete games in 2007: Cabrera, Bedard, Trachsel, Jon Leicester.

Five complete games in 2006: Kris Benson (3), Daniel Cabrera (2).

Two complete games in 2005: Sidney Ponson, Bruce Chen.

Eight complete games in 2004: Sidney Ponson (5), Rodrigo Lopez (1), Daniel Cabrera (1), Bruce Chen (1).

Nine complete games in 2003: Sidney Ponson (4), Pat Hentgen (1), Rodrigo Lopez (3), Eric Dubouse (1).

Flashback Friday: The Art of the Two-Run Sac Fly

Remembering two-run sacrifice flies for and against the O's

Baltimore broke a five-game losing streak on Russ Snyder's two-run single and a two-run sacrifice fly by Brooks Robinson in the 11th inning. ... An enthusiastic D.C. Stadium crowd of 26,012 went home disappointed as the Senators, winner of 12 of their last 14 games, collapsed defensively in the 11th inning. Among the onlookers was former President Eisenhower.

-The Free-Lance Star, July 24, 1967

Last weekend, the Paul Bunyan of the National League, Albert Pujols, accomplished a rare baseball feat when he hit a two-run sacrifice fly against the Rockies. Given Pujols' unique accomplishment for St. Louis' Birds, this week's Flashback Friday considers two-run sacrifice flies for and against our Birds, including Brooks Robinson's extra-innings effort in 1967.



You don't have to go back very far to locate the most recent two-run sacrifice fly against the Orioles. Just last season Joe Mauer put two runs on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning on a long fly ball to left-center at the Metrodome that Adam Jones caught before falling down on the warning track. With Carlos Gomez providing the latter run, Mauer commented of his accomplishment, "It helps to have the fastest man in baseball on second base." The Twins defeated the O's 7-5.

Fifteen years earlier, on Aug. 8, 1993, the Orioles surrendered a first-inning, two-run sacrifice fly to the Indians' Albert Belle in a game they eventually won 7-6. Belle's towering drive to right field scored Kenny Lofton and Wayne Kirby.

But what about two-run sac flies by the good guys? The most recent such effort by an Oriole came on Aug. 26, 1983, against the Twins, when Al Bumbry plated Jim Dauer and Todd Cruz in the bottom of the second inning of a game the O's won 9-0. (Newspaper clip.) However, a more memorable effort came 16 years earlier off the bat of Brooks Robinson.

Robinson's 11th inning sac fly on July 23, 1967, helped halt a five-game losing streak for the Birds and disappointed the home fans at D.C. Stadium, including former President Eisenhower. Robinson's effort followed a two-run, go-ahead single by Russ Snyder and an intentional walk to Paul Blair that loaded the bases.

Robinson drove a ball to left field that the Senators' Hank Allen caught; however, Allen mistakenly thought it was the inning's third out. Luis Aparicio and Snyder raced home as Allen, who replaced Frank Howard in left field to start the ninth inning, jogged toward the infield. (Newspaper clip.)

Allen's Baseball Wiki entry notes (along with multiple other duplicate sources), "he was just fair defensively." However, two years after his mistake in the outfield, Allen would become a part of Washington (er ... Texas?) baseball history as he reeled off seven straight multi-hit games - including a series against the O's - for manager Ted Williams. Cristian Guzman matched Allen's effort for the Nationals in 2008.

Allen was one of Dick Allen's two younger brothers to play big league ball. Chances are the mistake against the Orioles and his relative lack of success outside of the 1969 season didn't phase him. As one fan recounted after meeting Allen at a Senators reunion, the former player made sure to note of baseball that it was "what I did ... It is not who I am."

After winning their first World Series the season prior, the Orioles finished the 1967 season with a 76-85 record, 15 1/2 games behind the Red Sox in sixth place out of the 10-team American League.



Sources: BaseballReference.com, Google News, Orioles Director of Communications Greg Bader, StephenJ.Walker.com, PressDemocrat.com, Washington-Nats.com, BaseballWiki.

Image source: BaseballReference.com Click photo for original.

What's the Story on These Draft Picks?

"The steal of the draft may have come in round seven when El Toro pitcher Aaron Wirsch was taken by the Baltimore Orioles with pick No. 206."

-Orange County Illustrated, demonstrating the beauty of local bias

There's a kid from Canada who joined his brother as the only New Brunswick players to be drafted (Jay Johnson), the son of an Oriole great (Steve Bumbry), the draft's first NAIA player selected (Ashur Tolliver), a Dookie (Cameron Coffey), and the brother of the Ravens' starting quarterback (Mike Flacco). All are among the O's 2009 Amateur Draft selections.

Roar from 34 offers a rundown of stories for almost all of the Birds' draft picks through Day 2, plus the first pick from Day 3 since he's related to the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year.

Fill in the blanks with MLB.com's O's draft story.


5 Hobgood, Matthew
Orioles draft RHP Hobgood with 5th overall pick


54 Givens, Mychal
Orioles select Plant's Givens


85 Townsend, Tyler
Townsend draft by Orioles, not returning to FIU



116 Henry, Randy
30 Oklahoma players chosen during day two of baseball draft


146 Tolliver, Ashur
OCU's Tolliver first NAIA player taken in MLB draft


176 Dalles, Justin
Orioles select Gamecock in sixth round of 2009 MLB Draft


206 Wirsch, Aaron
Nine more OC products taken early on day 2


236 Harris, Devin
Pros call on Pirates


266 Berry, Ryan
Holt, Berry taken in ninth round of MLB draft


296 Cowan, Jacob
Two Longhorns selected in fifth round of MLB Draft


326 Ohlman, Michael
Orioles draft Lakewood Ranch's Ohlman in 11th round


356 Bumbry, Steven
Orioles reach to their past, pick Bumbry


386 Kelly, Tyler
Local players picked in draft


416 Baker, David


446 Bush, Garrett
North Florida players get draft calls


476 Palsha, Ryan


506 Walters, Jeffrey


536 Martin, Jarret
Bakersfield.com


566 Schutz, Kipp
Orioles take Schultz in 19th round; two North grads picked


596 Brandhorst, James
Lamar Pitching Trio Selected On Second Day of MLB Draft


626 Landry, Kevin
Baseball: Landry drafted by Orioles


656 Coffey, Cameron
Duke Chronicle


686 Mooney, Michael
Gator's second-day draft haul: Lucky 13


716 Anderson, Justin
ULM's Justin Anderson selected by Orioles in 24th round of MLB Draft


746 Johnson, Jay
Major league draft for the 'Birds' for N.B. pitcher


776 Mechaw, Michael


806 Planeta, Michael


836 Hoppy, Kyle
Three Local Players taken in MLB Draft


866 Alexander, Brandon


896 Webb, Brenden
Locals draft chart


926 Mike Flacco
Two Flaccos flying around Baltimore

Brooks: Major Investments in Minor Interests

York, Southern Maryland ... Richmond?

Brooks Robinson is expanding his minor league interests. The part-owner of the York Revolution and the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs is hoping to help redo Richmond's minor league stadium and host a Double-A Eastern league team there. Richmond recently lost the Braves' Triple-A affiliate to Gwinnett County, Ga.

The Richmond Metropolitan Authority has termed a renovation proposal by Opening Day Partners (ODP), which includes Robinson as a principal and is chaired by Peter Kirk, the former owner/operator of Baltimore Orioles farm clubs, "intriguing and worthy of evaluation."



More from the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Opening Day Partners today will release a $28 million plan for a "transformation" of The Diamond.

ODP, based in Annapolis, Md., last spring delivered a $40 million proposal to the city for a new ballpark that could be located on the Boulevard, or at another Richmond-area site. ODP's transformation plan proposes a "brand new, state-of-the-art ballpark and community activity venue" on the footprint of The Diamond.

The Diamond opened in 1985, and its condition influenced the Atlanta Braves to move their Class AAA franchise from Richmond to Gwinnett County, Ga., after last season. The Diamond could be fully transformed for next season if construction started by Aug.1, according to Peter Kirk, ODP's chairman.

Brooks Robinson, the Hall of Famer who starred for the Baltimore Orioles, also is an ODP principal. In the release, he says "We have been closely following the debate over returning minor-league baseball to Richmond and would very much like to see baseball return as quickly and as efficiently as possible."

Birds Get Bumbry

On Tuesday I posted a piece about Steve Bumbry, son of Orioles legend Al Bumbry, and the possibility that he would get drafted. Turns out he did, and the Birds got him.

Bumbry was projected as the No. 146 prospect, but the O's took him with the 356th pick.

Bergesen, Bluefield, and the Baby Birds

Call it Twofer Tuesday, as two big stories dominated the local baseball scene last night: Brad Bergesen (8 IP, 5 hits, 0 ER, O BB, 6 Ks in a 3-1 O's win) and the amateur draft. All the better when you can fit both into the same story.

Just ask Dave Trembley: "I think tonight was kind of appropriate, being draft day, that a couple of our guys, drafted by the scouts that I met here today, did so well. I think that's just tremendous. Bergesen was good. That's the best we've seen out of him."

Down in Bluefield, home of the Orioles' Rookie League affiliate, the focus is the same. They're excited about stocking up on the team's new young talent and proud of the success of one of their own - Bergesen is the first MLB product since Daniel Cabrera to have played in Bluefield.



From the Bluefield Daily Telegraph:

Bluefield, which has had Minor League baseball since 1937, and have been part of the modern Appalachian League since 1957, has produced numerous big leaguers as well, includ ing Hall of Fame inductees Cal Ripken, Jr., and Eddie Murray.

Others to start at Bowen Field include Bobby Grich, Don Baylor, Mark Belanger and Doug DeCinces, who had the unenviable task of following Brooks Robinson at third base in Baltimore.

It had been a while since any Baby Birds had reached ‘The Show’ until Brad Bergesen, a pitcher with Bluefield in ‘04, made his debut this season in Baltimore. Daniel Cabrera, who pitched in Bluefield in ‘02, had been the last to get there, making it in '04.

...

The Orioles, meanwhile, have 10 players on the Prospect list, including first round picks Billy Rowell (No. 7, ’06) and Brandon Snyder (No. 9, ‘05), along with second round selection Ryan Adams (No. 28, ‘06).

The Prospect book — the bible for anyone interested in the future stars of baseball — includes numerous players who have visited Mercer County from the league’s other organization.

...

In a tough economy, why not take a break from the long trip this summer and catch an Appalachian League game? Make sure you purchase a program and check it out on a few years.

Who knows who you may have seen once upon a time?

Here is a past Roar from 34 posting about Bluefield and its love for the "Baby Birds."

Younger Bumbry Hoping to Feel a Draft

Son of former O's great could be drafted, but also would be happy to return to school for his senior year

"I can tell him things he should do and things he should look for, but the actual step-by-step mental approach to the game, I wasn't very good at explaining that to him," Al Bumbry said. "The game can be very difficult mentally. That's more than half the battle."

Al Bumbry kept a low profile in the MASN booth during Orioles Blogger Night as did his son, Steve, who joined him for the game. However, the younger Bumbry is hoping to maintain a higher profile in the MLB draft.

From The American Chronicle: "Virginia Tech junior outfielder Steve Bumbry, the son of former Baltimore Orioles star Al Bumbry (a King George native), is the No. 146 prospect, according to the Real Baseball Intelligence (RBI) Draft Guide. Steve Bumbry, a native of Cockeysville, Md., hit .283 and led the Hokies with 10 home runs in 2009."

Here are a couple of Steve Bumbry bios from Hokiesports.com: 2007, 2009. Also worth reading is Aaron McFarling's profile of Steve Bumbry that includes plenty of quotes from his dad.

Virginia Tech center fielder Steve Bumbry understands that he is fortunate. He knows that not many college baseball players have gotten birthday wishes from one of the greatest right-handed hitters of all time.

Not many have played video games in a minor-league clubhouse with CC Sabathia, who's now the highest-paid pitcher in the game.

Not many have shagged flies in the outfields of major-league ballparks, chatting with big-league players.

"It's just been a great experience," he says. "I really don't think I would trade anything for it."

But entitlement? There is no sense of entitlement for Steve Bumbry. And that might be the best thing about him.

...

"I can tell him things he should do and things he should look for, but the actual step-by-step mental approach to the game, I wasn't very good at explaining that to him," Al Bumbry said. "The game can be very difficult mentally. That's more than half the battle."

...

Bumbry is eligible to be drafted in June -- the Orioles have seen him play more than anyone -- but he'd be happy to stay his senior year, too. Already he's helped turn around a program that had struggled, and he'd like to earn his degree in business management and entrepreneurship.

Press Box and The Examiner have done past profiles of Steve Bumbry.


Image sources: Cardboard Gods, HokieSports.com (Click photos for links to originals.)

Go Central, Young Birds

Excuses, excuses - yeah, but this is a good one

Since their last winning season in 1997, the Birds have compiled an overall record of 791-989 (.444 winning percentage). During that same period, the O's are 215-210 against the A.L. Central (.506 winning percentage).

Andy MacPhail has some quality talking points (no sarcasm intended). Among my favorites is "Grow the arms, buy the bats." However, it may be time to add a new one to the list.

Last week, MacPail said the following in an MLB.com story about the Birds: "One of the things that gets lost is that we were over .500 (46-43) outside the division last year and over .500 (13-12) outside this year," MacPhail said.

[Note: The latter number took a hit after the O's recent West Coast swing. The team's 2009 record outside the division now stands at 14-17. ]

You can only play the "We compete in the A.L. East" card so many times; however, MacPhail is wise to direct attention toward the bigger picture. It's simple, but true: the O's would be a more competitive outfit in another division.

Consider the Orioles' demonstrated success in recent years against the A.L. Central, where two of their former division opponents circa 1993 (the Tigers and Indians) now compete.



Since their last winning season in 1997 (excluding this year), the Birds have compiled an overall record of 791-989, "good" for a .444 winning percentage. During that same period, the O's are 215-210 against the A.L. Central, better for a .506 winning percentage.

From 1998 through 2008, a very dark period for the home team, the O's have had only three losing seasons against the Central. In 2009, they are 8-5 against the Central. In fact, no Central team has a winning record against the AL East so far this season. The Royals are tops with a 7-10 record while division-leading Detroit has managed only four wins against 10 losses.

Meanwhile, last year's division winner, the White Sox, finished the season 15-26 (.366) against the East. The Indians were the only Central team with a winning record against the division in 2008 at 20-15.

The O's vs. the AL Central by Year

2009 8-5

2008 20-18

2007 16-19*

2006 17-17

(The 2006 ALCS Champion Detroit Tigers finished 16-17 against the A.L. East.)

2005 13-22*

2004 21-15

2003 14-18*

2002 18-14

2001 16-16

2000 24-24

1999 27-22

1998 29-25

*Losing seasons

David Hernandez Likes This Version of Black and Orange

Hernandez, a Dodgers fan at heart, calls ours "the good black and orange"

At least one good thing came from the Birds' otherwise forgettable trip to Oakland this weekend.

On Sunday, Paul Gutierrez of The Sacramento Bee offered another article in the growing "local kid makes good" series about young O's players, this one focused on pitcher David Hernandez of Elk Grove, Calif.

(See also: The Contra Costa Times' coverage of Brad Bergesen and the Green Bay Press-Gazette's love for Jason Berken.)

Gutierrez provides a nod to the Orioles' proud past, which begs the question, "When was the last time you heard anyone refer to the O's as one of the game's iconic franchises?" And he uses the word "passerine" to boot. Must've been an English major.

Baseball needs the Baltimore Orioles to be good. Not just decent. Not just an occasional contender. But one of the national pastime's haves, and not a has-been.



It's one of the game's iconic franchises (who doesn't dig that simple cap adorned with a prideful passerine?) that has lost its way and needs to be found. Fast.

Paging an Elk Grove kid, The Bee's 2003 Pitcher of the Year who knew next to nothing about the team that calls the birthplace of Babe Ruth home, and used a 16th-round pick in the 2005 draft on him after his stint at Cosumnes River College.

"Cal Ripken," said a sheepish David Hernandez. "Basically, that was it."

Flashback Friday: Catcher Hank Severeid

Remembering the O's career leader for triples among catchers

"Let me assure you that while the Browns are no longer on the baseball scene, their memory will never die."

-Hank Severeid

In a posting earlier this week I attempted to put some context around the triple that served as Matt Wieters' first major league hit and mentioned that the Birds' career leader for triples among catchers is Hank Severeid. Severeid played for the St. Louis Browns, the precursor to the modern Orioles, from 1915 to 1925 and hit 36 triples during that time.

This week's Flashback Friday revisits the career of the catcher known by some writers as "the detective of the diamond" for his cerebal play behind the plate.



Severeid's primary claim to fame is that he caught no-hitters on successive days, May 5 and 6, 1917, during his third season with the Browns. Ernie Koob tossed a no-hitter in a 1-0 win against the Chicago White Sox; Bob Groom matched the feat the following day in the second game of a doubleheader. Severeid also caught one game for the Washington Senators in the 1925 World Series and all seven games for the New York Yankees in 1926.

During his career, Severeid played for the Cincinnati Reds (1911-13), Browns, Senators (1925-26) and Yankees (1926). His batting average topped .300 a dozen times in 28 seasons, peaking at .324 in 1921. Late in his career, at age 46, Severeid joined Galveston in the Texas League and caught a doubleheader on the final day of the 1937 season. He also managed in the minors, worked in the Cincinnati Reds' farm system, and served as a Cubs and Red Sox scout.

In addition to leading all Orioles catchers in triples, Severeid is the franchise's career leader in at-bats per strikeout (27.8). In his first game with the Browns on April 17, 1915, Severeid hit his first major league home run, a three-run shot off of the White Sox's Hi Jasper, as part of a 4-3 Browns victory.

Known as a solid backstop, Severeid caught a record 2,603 games in the majors and minors and appeared in more than 100 games for the Browns every year between 1916 and 1924, except 1918 when he was in the military. He was the leader for fielding percentage among catchers in 1919, 1923, and 1924, and his .993 fielding percentage once served as the major league record for a season.

Despite his durability, Severeid was knocked unconscious during a game on July 18, 1916, when Boston's Babe Ruth bowled him over at the plate. However, the catcher was tough, and he knew it.

Severeid once severed an artery during a home plate collision when the base runner spiked him above the knee. Severeid watched the doctor tie the two ends of the severed artery together and returned to action a week later.

As a further testament to his toughness, in 1924 Severeid followed Ty Cobb to the mound as the irascible baseball legend waved his bat and threatened to kill pitcher Charlie Root, whom he called "a fresh bush bastard."

Said Severeid: "You lay one hand on that kid, and I'll beat you to death with this mask."

Cobb returned to the plate, and Root struck him out.

In addition to catching consecutive no-hitters, Severeid once ended a perfect game when he walked with two outs in the eighth inning of a 4-0 Browns loss to the Red Sox on Aug. 30, 1916. Hubert "Dutch" Leonard earned a no-hitter as consolation.

Severeid died in 1968 at the age of 77. The Iowa native is a member of the Des Moines Register's Iowa Sports Hall of Fame.



Image source: The Library of Congress

Information sources:

Baseball Library

The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract

Des Moines Register

Just One Bad Century

Baseball Fever

Brettkiser's Blog

BNet

Jon Miller Counts Fantastic Fan Night as his Most Memorable Game

D.C. Sports Bog caught up with Jon Miller at Thursday's Giants - Nats game and wrote a fantastic piece that allowed Miller to reminisce about memorable games that he has called and his various meetings with Presidents Reagan, Carter, and Bush (both).

Miller's choice for his most memorable game comes as something of a surprise given his personal announcing history and belongs in a commercial or, better yet, a video history of the Birds.

"I mean, I'm sure I've done lots of memorable games, World Series, Cal, all kinds of stuff," he said at Nationals Park yesterday afternoon. "But the one I'll never forget...The Orioles came home from the road trip 1-23 [in May of 1988]. And it was a Monday night with Texas in town. Jay Tibbs was the pitcher. And they had 50,000 at Memorial Stadium.

"When the team's bad, much less historically bad, the response in your home town is basically indifference. Nobody shows up. Crowds are small, they're quiet. But the crowd that night not only was huge; it was like the World Series.

"Oddibe McDowell led off and took a called strike, and it's 'Whoooooaaaaaaah!' You know, then he popped one up. 'He pops it up, Whooooooaaaaaah!!!!' You know, 'Cal's under it and he's got it, Whooaaaaaaaaah!!!!!' It was like Game 7 of the World Series. It was unbelievable.



...

"Somebody called him and said I'm a Baltimorean and I feel bad, I still love the Orioles, and I feel bad that people are making fun of them, and I'm sure they all feel real down about it. I'd like to be able to tell them that I'm really behind them and I still love them. You know, that I still root for them. And so other people started calling in and saying the same thing, so finally he had the idea, why don't we all come out to the ballpark when they get back and tell em that. I mean, you fans are fantastic. And he ended up calling it something like Fantastic Fans night.

"And then before the game they made the announcement that they had struck a deal, signed a contract for what became Camden yards, and that got everyone excited. You know, Edward Bennett Williams and I guess [Gov. William Donald] Schaefer made the announcement jointly on the field before the game, and people went nuts over that. Signed a new [15]-year contract or whatever it was, 'to stay here for now and far into the future,' blah blah blah. 'Whoooooaaaaaa!!!!!' It was an unforgettable night."

And a story I was not familiar with. The stories at the time agreed with Miller's account; that this was one of the most remarkable days in franchise history. The players, too; "Pretty damn impressive, isn't it?" second baseman Bill Ripken told Richard Justice after the game. "We were 1-23 going into tonight, and we had 50,000 people. I could have never imagined it."

Lucky for Randy Johnson, He Wasn't Facing Jeff Reboulet on Thursday

Randy Johnson earned his 300th career win on Thursday night against the Nationals.

In anticipation of the milestone, ESPN's Tim Kurkjian penned a piece earlier in the day about what it's like to hit against Randy Johnson that includes discussion of Davey Johnson's strategy against Johnson and a comment from Brian Roberts about digging in against the Big Unit.

The most fitting tribute to the greatness of Randy Johnson came 12 years ago when Baltimore Orioles manager Davey Johnson benched his three best left-handed hitters, Rafael Palmeiro, B.J. Surhoff and Roberto Alomar (a switch-hitter, but an injury prevented him from batting right-handed) in the first and fourth games of the American League Division Series against the Seattle Mariners.

"Raffy told me that he'd like to play against Randy," Johnson said before Game 1 of his first baseman, who had hit 38 homers and driven in 110 runs that season. "But he told me that Randy could mess him up for two weeks. That was all I needed to hear."

...

Brian Roberts, Orioles: He is 2-for-18 against Johnson. "He still throws fairly hard," he said. "The toughest thing for me was thinking you were getting a heater in, then it's a slider, and there's not much time to figure out what's coming … but I did get two hits off him."

One voice is missing from Tim Kurkjian's article: Jeff Reboulet.



O's fans will remember that Reboulet had a unique ability to hit Johnson, as detailed in a 2008 Roar from 34 post.

Jeffrey Allen Reboulet (1997-1999): The defining aspect of Jeff Reboulet's brief tenure with the Orioles was his curious ability to hit well against Randy Johnson. Reboulet, he of the 20 home runs in 12 Major League seasons, went deep against Johnson in Game 4 of the 1997 ALCS, a 3-1 O's victory; it was his only hit in five plate appearances during that series. Reboulet faced Johnson 21 times more than any other pitcher during his career, batting .273 with an .811 OPS in 66 plate appearances. He had two career home runs off of Johnson, matching his highest total against any one pitcher (he also had two home runs off of Ricky Bones).

This Bird Don't Tweet

The faux "Peter Angelos" Twitter page (April 30 RF34 post) is still going strong. Latest tweet: "Trying to decide if I want to sign Jamie Walker's pink slip with my right or left hand."

Enjoy it while you can, because Cardinals Manager Tony LaRussa may soon ruin all the fun.

LaRussa is suing Twitter over an impostor profile of him.



From The Biz of Baseball:

As I reported last month, Twitter may be one of the greatest tools available for social networking. But, as I also reported, the capacity to have impostors is very real. In the first day, I decided to follow “Peter Angelos” and “Theo Epstein” who are not, in fact, the real individuals. Both had images of the baseball execs, but when reading through the Tweets, it was clear that neither were the real deal.

Now, a court case may eradicate such impostor profiles.

The case is La Russa v. Twitter, Inc. and deals with one Anthony (Tony) La Russa and an impostor profile on the popular social networking site.

Ask Roar from 34, Vol. 2

The second edition of the imagined advice column "Ask Roar from 34" handles inquiries about whether it's better to be loved or respected, pressure to perform, and concentration lapses at work.


Dear Roar from 34,

I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, but doggone it, some people don't seem to like me. I'll admit, I haven't always been the best boss, but I've really been trying of late, and things are getting better around here. What can I do to convince people I'm not such a bad guy?

-Weary in the Warehouse


Dear Weary,

Surely you've developed good relationships with at least some of your employees. Why not try having one of them reach out to other people and tell them about your good qualities? People will be a lot more willing to listen to a trusted surrogate than the object of their contempt.

-Roar from 34


Dear Roar from 34,

Everyone faces expectations at their job. It just so happens that the expectations for me are pretty darn high. That's not the problem. Rather, I'm afraid that people will be disappointed that they didn't set even greater expectations for me once they see what I can do. How can I keep people from letting themselves down?

-What Pressure to Perform?


Dear What Pressure,

You can't control what other people think, say, or do. Just be yourself, stay humble, and hit more than 30 home runs while driving in 100+ RBIs, and everything will be fine.

-Roar from 34


Dear Roar from 34,

The guys at work seem to have trouble focusing at times, which causes some pretty routine mistakes on the job. Sometimes it's as if guys are just standing flat-footed out there. Is there such a thing as collective ADD?

-Bumbling on the Basepaths


Dear Bumbling,

Scientifically speaking, no, there isn't such a thing as collective ADD. However, based on what you've described ....

Further research is necessary.

-Roar from 34

Triple Threat Position

Revisiting the first hits of some famous O's catchers not named Wieters

Levi Meyerle of the Philadelphia Athletics is credited with baseball's first triple, hit on April 24, 1876, which goes to show that there was in fact baseball before Matt Wieters.

After Wieters tripled for his first major league hit, some O's fans wondered how many other players have done the same thing. Roch Kubatko provided an answer - at least among catchers - on Tuesday:

"Since 1954, only five catchers have tripled for their first major league hit: Matt Wieters on Saturday vs. Detroit, the Tigers' Dane Sardinha on June 29, 2008, San Francisco's Yorvit Torrealba on Sept. 5, 2001, Toronto's Pat Borders on April 6, 1988 and the White Sox's Chuck Lindstrom on Sept. 28, 1958."

Here are some other O's-specific historical facts relevant to the conversation:

Paul Blair holds the record for most triples in a season with 12 in 1967.

George Sisler holds the club record for triples with 145. Brooks Robinson is first among modern players with 68.

Hank Severeid is tops among Orioles catchers (22nd among all O's players) with 36 triples. Overall, he hit 42 during his career.

Curt Blefary is tops among modern Orioles catchers (91st among all O's players) with 13 triples. Overall, he hit 20 during his career. [Edit: Blefary is listed in the Orioles' record book as a catcher, although he played only 40 games at the position for the team. Blefary split the majority of his time between the outfield and first base.]

To add further context, Roar from 34 reviewed the first hits of five famous Oriole backstops: Rick Dempsey, Ramon Hernandez, Mickey Tettleton, Gus Triandos, and Chris Hoiles. Each catcher appeared on The Washington Post's recent list of "Best Catchers in Orioles History."





Hoiles was the only catcher on this list to play his entire career in Baltimore. It took him the most games (six) to record his first hit. Meanwhile, no one on the list hit better than a double in his first at-bat. Tettleton hit the most career triples of any of the five catchers.

Dempsey: 12 triples in 24 seasons
Hernandez: six triples in 11 seasons
Tettleton: 16 triples in 14 seasons
Triandos: six triples in 13 seasons
Hoiles: two triples in 10 seasons

Here's a closer look at each player's first major league hit and first hit for the Birds:

Rick Dempsey

First major league hit: Sept. 23, 1969
A ninth-inning single for Minnesota off of Kansas City's Chris Zachary.
It was Dempsey's second at-bat in his first game.

First O's hit: June 26, 1976
A second-inning double off of the Indians' Dennis Eckersley.
It was Dempsey's first at-bat in his second O's game.


Ramon Hernandez

First major league hit: June 29, 1999
A third-inning bunt single against Seattle's John Halama.
It was Hernandez's first at-bat in his first game.

First O's hit: April 3, 2006
A second-inning RBI single off of the Rays' Scott Kazmir.
It was Hernandez's first O's game. He finished 3-for-3 with 2 RBIs.


Mickey Tettleton

First major league hit: July 15, 1984
A ninth-inning, pinch-hit single against the Blue Jays' Roy Lee Jackson.
It was Tettleton's third game, although he didn't bat in his first major league appearance.

First O's hit: May 9, 1988
An eighth-inning single off of the White Sox's Jerry Reuss.
It was Tettleton's first O's game.


Gus Triandos

First major league hit: 1953 with the Yankees*
(*game-by-game stats for the 1953 season are unavailable on Baseball Reference)

First O's hit: April 16, 1955
A second-inning single off of the Red Sox's Ike Delock.
It was Triandos' first O's appearance. He finished 2-for4 with an RBI before a crowd of 7,120 at Fenway.


Chris Hoiles

First major league & O's hit: Oct. 1, 1989
An eighth-inning, run-scoring double off of the Blue Jays' Mauro Gozzo.
It was Hoiles' sixth game - the final game of the '89 season - when he got his first hit.

Recommended O's Reading

"If he had signed sooner, we might have picked up a couple of wins and gotten in there. But the negotiations just kept dragging. And sometimes when that happens, the player and the agent lose out in the long run."

-Roland Hemond on Ben McDonald and the "Why Not?" O's

There's some very good reading to be had for Orioles fans, specifically about Adam Jones and Ben McDonald.

Heath at Dempsey's Army has provided a "What They're Saying" rundown about Adam Jones and the Mariners, so I won't retread that path. However, The Olympian article "He's not that into you" is worth a look.

The transformation in him from last season is evident not only on the field, but in the way he carries himself in the clubhouse. He is a leader. He is good. And he knows it.

It makes one wonder at what point we stop referring to "the Bedard trade" and start referring to "the Jones trade." He may end up being the more relevant and valued player.

That is of course unless one of the other players in the trade – right-handed pitcher Chris Tillman, a top pitching prospect for the Orioles – doesn’t also become a star. Then it may be referred to "the Jones-Tillman trade."

Right now, Mariners fans might as well call it "the worst trade in franchise history."

While you're at it, definitely read 'There's nothing guaranteed in this game,' only the money, a USA Today piece by Bob Nightengale that uses Ben McDonald's signing to contextualize the upcoming draft of and subsequent negotiations for Stephen Strasburg.

Lots of great O's tidbits in there, including Mickey Tettleton taunting McDonald in the clubhouse and Roland Hemond suggesting that the "Why Not?" O's could have made the playoffs had Big Ben signed earlier. Excerpts follow.

"Don't feel sorry for me," says McDonald, 41, who married his college sweetheart, Nicole, and spends time coaching the softball, baseball and basketball teams for his 14-year-old daughter, Jorie, and 8-year-old son, Jase.

"There were other things I wanted to accomplish but didn't. But I still got to play in the big leagues. I still made a good living. I could have been hurt and out of the game my first year."

...

"I don't know what it's going to be like for (Strasburg's) family, but for us, tough, really, really tough," says Larry McDonald, Ben's father. "We took Scott Boras' advice, and he got Ben more money than we dreamed, but it was so tough on everyone here. Every time Scott Boras would call, my wife would just say, 'Oh, here's that fancy slick-back-haired California lawyer calling again.' "

...

"I told my wife, as long as I got a satellite TV, air conditioning and a bed," McDonald says, "I'm happy. When you're born around here, they give you a camouflage T-shirt and a gun. The rest is up to you."

David Segui, McDonald's former teammate with the Orioles, remembers the good ol' boy who got along with every clique in the clubhouse. There was the time in the 1989 Florida Instructional League when the two of them went fishing and McDonald pulled a 6-foot alligator out of the pond and put it in the hotel room bathtub of teammates Tony Chance and Mike Cavers. Cavers opened the shower curtain and was last seen screaming in the hotel parking lot dressed in a towel.

Despite his easygoing personality, McDonald found it difficult to step into the Orioles' clubhouse three months after being drafted. There was resentment and jealousy, but McDonald doesn't blame his teammates.

"The minimum (salary) was only $60,000, so I was making more than half of the guys in that clubhouse," McDonald says. "It was my first time away from home, and I just felt bad about everything. I was embarrassed.

"I remember my first day in the clubhouse. I walk by (veteran catcher) Mickey Tettleton and he didn't even say, 'Hello,' or 'Kiss my a—.' But he yells out to everyone, 'Oh, God, here comes our $900,000 pitcher.' "

...

Roland Hemond is currently an Arizona Diamondbacks special assistant but was the Orioles general manager in 1989 and says he thinks the lengthy negotiations cost the team a playoff berth.

"If he had signed sooner, we might have picked up a couple of wins and gotten in there," Hemond says. "But the negotiations just kept dragging. And sometimes when that happens, the player and the agent lose out in the long run."

McDonald comes off as a down-to-Earth guy; Boras, not so much. I wonder if some folks in the Nats front office will clip this piece and bring it with them to the negotiating table for Strasburg.

Homer Binges

Kevin Cowherd, Curtis Granderson, and now the American League. Seems everyone is loving Luke Scott these days. (Okay, likely not everyone.)

Congrats to the American League Player of the Week.

Most articles about Scott's award including the following "throw-away" facts:

"Scott became the first Oriole to homer in four straight games since Miguel Tejada in 2005, and his consecutive multi-homer games were the first for the club since Albert Belle did it in 2000."

Roar from 34 loves recycling discarded facts (note: Green is in), so let's take a closer look at Scott, Tejada, and Belle's efforts.



Feeling streaky

All three players went on home-run binges as part of an extended winning streak. Scott's blasts came as part of a five-game win streak, although his final home run came during a loss that ended that streak. Both Tejada and Belle did nothing but win during their respective long-ball binges.

Tejada homered during the last four games of an eight-game win streak that moved the Birds up four in the AL East. The teams' biggest lead was 4.5 games on May 26. Tejada, the All-Star Game MVP in Detroit, finished the 2005 season batting .304 with 26 home runs and 98 RBI.

Belle's consecutive multi-homer games came in the final two games of six-game O's win streak; unfortunately, a nine-game losing streak followed. Belle finished the 2000 season, his last in baseball, with a .281 average, 23 home runs, and 103 RBIs. The 23 homers were the lowest total of Belle's 10 seasons as a full-time player.


Deja vu all over again

During both the 2000 and 2005 seasons, when Belle and then Tejada got homer happy, the Orioles finished the year with identical 74-88 records. In 2000, the record left them 13.5 games back of the Yankees; in 2005, they found themselves 21 games back of the Yankees and Red Sox, both of whom finished 95-67.


The particulars:

Results and linked box scores for games during Tejada's streak

April 26, 2005
O's 11 - Red Sox 8

April 29, 2005
O's 5 - Rays 0

April 30, 2005
O's 7 - Rays 5

May 1, 2005
O's 7 - Rays 4


Excerpt from a May 1 USA Today game story:

Bruce Chen has discovered what the rest of the American League is quickly learning: Baltimore has a fearsome offense.

Melvin Mora hit a pair of home runs, Miguel Tejada homered for the fourth consecutive game and the Orioles won their eighth straight, beating the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 7-4 Sunday. (Related item: Box score)

"I was talking to some of our pitchers, and it would be tough to face us," Chen said. "I'm glad we're pitching for this team. This team has been unbelievable."

Chen (3-1) allowed three runs in six-plus innings and struck out a season-high seven as the Orioles matched their longest winning streak last year. Baltimore has not won nine straight since a 13-game streak from Sept. 7-22, 1999.

"It's crazy. This team is crazy," Mora said. "We've got power hitters. We've got speed. Everything."

B.J. Ryan pitched the ninth for his fifth save in as many chances.

"We came out of camp knowing that we had a pretty good offensive team," Baltimore manager Lee Mazzilli said. "But how good? You never know until you get into the season."

Results and linked box scores for games during Belle's streak

June 15, 2000
O's 10 - Rangers 1
Belle finished 2-for-4 with 6 RBIs, which came by way of his two homers and a sacrifice fly. 8th inning grand slam.

June 16, 2000
O's 4 - Angels 3
Belle finished 2-for-3 with 4 RBIs. Intentionally walked in the bottom of the fifth after homering in his first two at-bats. (third straight at-bat where he homered).

Westcoast Shutout

Though Monday's night's game may not have been pretty in parts, a 1-0 victory is ultimately a beautiful thing.

The win over the Mariners was the Birds' first 1-0 victory since May 9, 2007, when they blanked the Tampa Bay Rays in extra innings at home.

In that game, Erik Bedard, Tuesday's opponent in Seattle, pitched seven shutout innings with 10 Ks, three walks, and three hits. Danys Baez, Chris Ray, and John Parrish each chipped in a scoreless inning of relief in the 10-inning victory. Aubrey Huff's walk-off homer won it for the O's.

Monday night's game was the fourth shutout of Rich Hill's career and the first 1-0 win. Hill tossed his lone complete game shutout on Sept. 16, 2006, in a 4-0 victory for the Cubs.



Other shutout victories that Hill started for the Cubs were as follows:

April 14, 2007, 7-0

April 19, 2007, 3-0

Sept. 29, 2007, 4-0

Big League Love for Luke

Kevin Cowherd is loving on Luke Scott, and so is Curtis Granderson.

Granderson jokes on Yahoo's Big League Stew that the Tigers should trade for Scott in order to avoid his hot bat against them and questions the logic of throwing at a batter who's locked in.

Writes Granderson:

"If you weren't watching, Luke single-handedly beat us in the first two games on Thursday and Friday, hitting four homers (two in each game) and racking up nine RBIs — the combined margin of defeat over both days. He even stayed hot against us on Saturday, tying the score with a two-run homer in the sixth before Clete Thomas was able to help us pull away with a big game of his own at the plate.

This wasn't the first time we've come here to Baltimore and caught Luke when he is playing his best. Last season, I remember him hitting a walkoff home run against us here. Now looking at this year, he is hot again against us. He is hitting lefties, righties, and drawing walks. Over his career against the Tigers, he is hitting .543/.600/1.514 in 10 games with 10 homers and 21 RBIs."

They've Got Berken Fever in Green Bay

"Emily's infatuation has gone from A-Rod to some hard throwing, good looking stud, who now plays with the Orioles. The name has not yet been cited...I will let you know when I find out."

-Excerpt from The Jason Berken Diary

Baltimore fans may have Matt Wieters on the brain, but in Wisconsin - De Pere, to be specific - it's all about native son Jason Berken.

From the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "This is a fairy tale that still seems surreal to him, as well as for some fans in this area that gathered at restaurants and bars to watch him pitch on Tuesday."

Press-Gazette game stories proudly describe the pitcher as "the former West De Pere High School star," and Berken has kept a diary for the newspaper where readers can learn about topics like ...

His meeting with Tim Tebow: "He is an unbelievable guy and all the stories you hear about him are totally true."

And his wife's crush on A-Rod: "Emily's infatuation has gone from A-Rod to some hard throwing, good looking stud, who now plays with the Orioles. The name has not yet been cited...I will let you know when I find out."

Berken was the Gatorade State Player of the Year in Wisconsin following his senior year pitching for the West De Pere Phantoms, who struggled on the diamond despite Berken's efforts, which included 147 strikeouts and a 1.16 ERA in 78.2 innings pitched as a senior, and 102 strikeouts, a 0.77 ERA in 72.2 innings pitched, and back-to-back no-hitters in his first two starts as a junior.

A multi-sport athlete at West De Pere, Berken's name fills the school's football record book with marks for passing yards in a season, passing yards per game, passes completed, and longest punt return, among others.

Berken is the second West De Pere High grad to play in the majors after Paul Wilmet. He holds an annual baseball camp in the high school's field house. In 2009, the event included O's minor leaguer Brandon Snyder and former Birds farmhand Zach Dillon. Among the prizes camp participants had a chance to win was a baseball signed by Matt Wieters.